Alpha and Omega: The American Dream
by Shelby Chace
Summary: The most crucial event in the story. The Lone Wanderer loses his father in a failed battle against the Enclave. He must lead what is left of his father's team to the safety of the Citadel.


The hike back to the Jefferson Memorial was unhurried and silent, which was not how he had envisioned it to be. Cas strode along side the Potomac River as the silvery water lapped calmly at its banks. He took his position at the rear of the group, the armed defender as always. The late afternoon sun bathed the ruins of DC in a warming golden glow, reflective against the sparkling concrete and upon the eight persons striding along the riverbank. There was a song in the hot breeze. The sky was wide and untamed blue, yet in the distance, along the western horizon, a summer storm approached. At times like these, when the air was soft and the surroundings were alight with sweet summertime haze, Cas was grateful to be rid of the vault. In all the fallen and desolate decay, life was somehow beautiful to him.

James, leading the way, glanced back at his warrior son. Castiel was still at attention with weapon in hand, yet seemed to be lost in the lonely barrenness of the Wastes. James never believed that he'd see his only son this way. So mature and strong, he appeared to adapt well to the wasteland. With dread James could see that he had fallen in love with it. All his son's questions had been answered, all his hopes of something more had come to his liking, and all the freedom he could ever grasp was in reach. In all the time and voyaging James spent to revive the Project through these past few months, he had just now discovered that his son had been right at his heels the entire trip. That was an incredible idea for him.

Castiel stared onward again, sensing eyes on him. His father was glancing back to him and threw him a look of dislike, not pleased to see a 50caliber double barreled shotgun so easily held in his son's hands. Cas understood his father's thought as James broke the stare to focus on the destination just ahead of them.

The steel conduit, which they soon strode upon, moaned and sang with their footsteps. The radiance of the sun created tiny wonders in the rutted metal, within the small waves of the Potomac. Cas recalled how he had before battled and fought against the many super mutants held up there. It was so still now, yet the machineguns and screams of death from his memory grazed his mind. Dogmeat had been so supportive at his side then; he missed his buddy.

_Gift Shop. _Cas read the text carved into the stone wall last as he entered the Memorial. It was noticeably cooler within the structure. The dim lighting was cobalt tinted and so very bleak. It smelled musty and metallic, seemingly lacking human contact in years. His father's scientists went to work quickly as Cas reflected back to the first time he had come to the Jefferson Memorial, in search of his father none the less.

That had been the first time he had heard the voice of his mother. Her tone was beautiful, feminine, and soothing. Catherine, her voice resonated off an old scientific data recording, James teasing her in the background. Cas had laughed at that, yet replayed the loop over more than five times just to hear her. He had stuffed the recording into the left breast pocket of his leather jacket. It now rested beside the only picture he had of his long deceased mother, over his heart always. Now and then when he was all by his lonesome he would hold the worn photograph in his hand and speak to her in his mind.

Cas followed his father into the Rotunda. The faint whooshing of water broke him from his prior thoughts and he squinted into the green water, encased in a large cylindrical glass body. The Memorial had been so open before the war, yet now it was enclosed with machinery, built into its stony walls. The statue of the infamous Thomas Jefferson was difficult to view through the murk and grime. _God who gave us life gave us liberty_. Cas could not read the first line, but knew it was there.

"Do you remember your mother's favorite passage?" James asked as he ran his fingertips over the dusty control board before the tank, his back to his son.

"How could I forget?" Cas replied as he ran a hand back through his raven hair, glancing about.

His father pivoted on his heels and grasped Cas' shoulder warmly with a caring smile that only he could carry. "Don't you see?" he began with a twinkle in his eye, "This is what it all means. The water, the purifier, _this _is the water of life. Your mother's dream." He motioned toward the machine with a hand. His voice, his words, held such passion that Cas could only admire.

"It's a good dream." Cas said calmly with a grin, staring again at the bronze statue behind the glass as he pictured her in his mind.

James chuckled and patted Cas' shoulder. "Let's not waist anymore time, there's much to be done."

James strode over to a small desk rested against the round wall of the control room and gabbed a white clipboard. Reading over the old charts he continued. Castiel watched him for a moment then holstered his shotgun, adjusting the straps over the jacket with his thumbs. The other scientists including Madison were now busy within the lab, mumbling amongst themselves in their white coats.

"As you know," James began and scribbled something on the white paper with a pencil, "I abandoned the Project shortly after you were born… after I lost your mother."

Cas looked to him now, studying his expression like a telepath, his blue eyes reflective off of the metallic equipment. James brought his steel stare back up to his adult son. "Things have deteriorated since then and there has been some flooding and blockage in the pipes."

"Alright," Cas replied and shifted in his sturdy stance. "What can I do?"

James chuckled with that fatherly laugh of his and was delighted with his son's response. "I need you to go to the Flood Control Pumps in the basement and activate them so we can reach the mainframe. After the water is drained you need to turn the valve." He simply explained.

"Okay, that sounds pretty easy." Cas smirked and turned to head down the metal conduit. "Be back in a bit."

"The automatic doors sealed when the flooding occurred, so you'll have to use the access tunnels to reach the valve." James said with a comical hint, knowing Cas wasn't going to like it.

"What?" Cas halted in his stride and spun back around with a frown. "You didn't say anything about tunnels."

James grinned. "You'll just have to squeeze through some parts but…"

Cas cut him off and put his hand up in protest. "Whoa Dad, I'm damn tall. I'm not gonna be able to…"

"Being a bit claustrophobic is natural, Cas. You can make it." James replied and beamed teasingly at his son.

Cas pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes at his father. "If you say so, Dad… and I'm not claustrophobic…" Well, maybe a little, he thought to himself. He always hated small places. He made clicking sound through his teeth and turned again to depart.

"Castiel?" James called suddenly, feeling a pit in his stomach as if Cas would turn the corner and vanish forever.

"Yeah, Dad?" his son stopped short in the entranceway and rested his forearm against it, facing his father.

James just stared at him for a moment, the tall and handsome greaser that he was. He was proud of him, loved him. He still wore that old leather jacket, a family heirloom really. It fit him perfectly, just as his new life; James knew somehow that it would. All the tales spoken from Three Dog, James knew, had been told in truth. His son was a hero, a fighter; he had been born a wastelander after all. Being trapped in that underground vault never suited him.

"I've been hearing good things." He said and crossed his arms. He had noticed the scar above Cas' right eye, yet decided not to ask him of it. James didn't want to anger him like he had before in vault 112, yet knew that he had been forgiven by his son.

Cas cocked his head at him. "What do you mean?"

"Did you really disarm the bomb in Megaton?" James asked; his voice calm and respective.

Castiel smirked and nodded. "Yeah I did." He said easily.

James nodded with approval, looking to him in a kind way. "I am proud of you, son, but you must know that life out here… it's dangerous, more dangerous than anyone in that vault knows."

"I know, Dad." Cas replied honestly, "I can handle it, don't worry about me, alright?"

James smiled now, however, there was sadness in his features that Cas noticed and he couldn't understand why it was there in his father's face. "Be careful, son." He said, yet truly meant the words _I love you _in each breath.


End file.
